Cap spreader



Nov. 13 1923. 1,474,330

A. P. QUENZER CAP SPREADER Filed March 51. 1922 I, HI

INVENTOR ATTORNEY WWNESS:

g9 Z4/8' Z0 7 -24 Patented Nov. 13, I923.

P QIIENZE or saooxnrn, new roan.

GA SPREADER- V Application filed March 31, 1922. Serial No. 548,462.

T 0 all to hem it may concern:

Be it known that I, ADAM P. QUnNzER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Gap Spreaders, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to reshaping de vices and more particularly to a device for re-shaping used crimped bottle caps.

Crimped bottle caps, such as those used as bottle stoppers, are normally or ordinarily formed with a flared crimped marginal wall or skirt and a top or connecting crown wall. This form of cap is first placed over the neck of the bottle to be sealed and forced tightly thereon and the crimped marginal wall contracted about the neck so that the bottle is hermetically sealed. When the cap is fully applied, the crimped walls thereof are vertically disposed or substantially so. When removing the cap from its bottlo, by means of the customary removing implement, the crimped walls are expanded and Flared outward from their normal or sealed condition and without re-shaping or restoring the cap to its original form, same is rendered unfit or further use. When once removed, these forms of caps are generally thrown away.

It is an object of my invention to provide a simple, inexpensive, strong and durable device which can be readily associated with a previously used crimped cap and employed to re-shape' or restore the cap to its original symmetrical form, thereby permitting same to be re-adjusted and re-used as a'bottle closure.

With the above and other objects in view which will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the improved construction and novel arrangements of parts which will hereinafter be fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claim.

In the accompanying drawings has been illustrated, a single and preferred form of the invention, it being, however, understood that no limitations are necessarily made to the precise structural details therein exhibited, but that changes, alterations and modifications within the scope of the claim may be resorted to when desired.

In the drawings Figure 1, is a perspective view of the dev1ce.

from the spirit of my invention, and

Figure 2, is a vertical section through the diemembers showing same closed or' in the act of re -shaping a cap.

Figure 3, is a perspective view of a crimped cap showing same in itsoriginal form, and

Figure 4, is a similar view showing the shape the cap assumes when applied to a bottle.

In carrying the invention into practice, I employ a pair of pivotally connected levers 5 and 6, the former carrying a jaw 7 and the latter a jaw 8. Formed as part of the aw 7 is a female die section 9 which is adapted to co-act with a male .die section 10 on the jaw 8. These die sections are normally held separated with respect to each other by means of a spring 11, the latter interposed between the levers 5 and 6.

The male die section 10 is circular in plan and in vertical section, same conforms with the cross sectional form of the cap shown in Figure 3. It is provided with a circular wall 12 and a flared base wall 13. Through the center of this section, a suitable finger opening 10 is formed, so that after the reshaping operation, the finger of the operator can be extended into said opening tore lease the cap from the die.

The female section 9 is provided with a crown wall 14 and a short depending annular wall 15, the dept-h of the latter being coextensive with the wall 12 of said male section 10. v

The mating sections 9 and 10 of the die are so disposed with respect to each other and the levers 5 and 6 that they come together in,

arallelism when the levers are closed. Incident thereto, it will be observed that when a cap of the shape shown in Figure 4 is operatively interposed between said die sections, and on bringing said sections together as described, pressure will be brought against the cap so as to force same downward until the sides. of the cap conform with the shape of said male section of the die. In performing this operation a used cap is quickly restored to its original form and can be again employed as a bottle stopper and contracted into position around the neck of the bottle in the usual well known manner.

lVhile I have described what I'deem to be the most desirable embodiment of my invention, it is obvious that many of the details may be varied without in any way departing there fore do not limit myself to the exact details of construction herein set forth, nor to anything less than the Whole or" my invention, limited only by the appended claim.

What I claim as new is A bottle cap reshaping device comprising a female die section, a male die section co-acting with the first said section and provided With a central opening, a pair of pivotally connected levers respectively supporting said die sections for movements toward or away from each other and formed integral therewith, the male section having an annular vertical Wall and a flared base Wall, the latter merging into the former, the female section including an annular Wall adapted to embrace the annular Wall of said male section, the depth of said annular vertical Wall being co-extensivewith the Vertical Wall of said female section. v

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature.

ADAM PH. QUENZER. 

